Indiana men’s basketball: Kel’el Ware receives green room invitation

Former Indiana center Kel’el Ware and his family received an invitation to the green room for ESPN’s NBA Draft coverage, according to Twitter:

During his lone season at Indiana, Ware led the team in points (15.9), rebounds (9.9) and blocks (1.9) per game before declaring for the NBA draft. This impressive season came after a disappointing season at Oregon, where the former five-star prospect averaged less than seven points per game.

Ware was invited to the NBA Combine, where he posted impressive numbers with his shooting and physical metrics. He has since seen his shares rise, with some analysts putting him in the late lottery.

Since leaving Indiana, Ware has been consistent in his messaging in interviews: Mike Woodson and his staff have made him the prospect he is today. That lines up with what other current pros Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jalen Hood-Schifino have said about their time in Bloomington.

While this helps solidify Woodson’s reputation for developing big men, Ware’s maturation and physical development at Indiana is a testament to the entire staff and how he develops each player willing to work.

Whether he accepts the invitation or not, it’s nice to see the rest of the basketball world waking up to the caliber of player Ware can become with further development.